The Kenyan government has announced a budget of 100 million shillings (approximately 775,000 U.S. dollars) to aid the evacuation of its nationals affected by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon after Israelis invaded Lebanon. The funds will support security and other agencies in assisting the evacuation efforts as the situation in the region remains unstable.
Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs minister, addressed the Senate, reassuring that the government is determined to ensure the safety of all Kenyans currently in the Middle East, especially those in Lebanon, where 26,000 Kenyans reside.
“After communicating with our citizens in Lebanon, I updated the Senate that many have expressed a willingness to stay and would seek assistance from the government only if conditions worsen,” Mudavadi shared, according to a statement made in Nairobi.
Since September 23, Israel has launched extensive airstrikes against Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah strongholds. The attacks have caused heavy casualties and forced the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Mudavadi further reported that, via Kenya’s embassy in Kuwait, about 1,500 Kenyans have already registered for potential evacuation and government assistance, marking a major logistical challenge that authorities are working hard to address.
He also revealed that the government is in the final stages of forming a comprehensive plan to assist Kenyans in crisis-affected regions, although financial limitations have slowed down some operations.
Emphasizing the government’s commitment, Mudavadi assured that the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is actively working to prevent any loss of life and ensure that no Kenyan is left stranded amid the ongoing crisis.